See you on the Mauna

 What makes something sacred? ⠀

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Is Mauna Kea sacred because she is the highest point in nā kai ‘ewalu and the broader pacific?⠀
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‘Ae.⠀
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Is Mauna Kea sacred because of its connection to the genealogy of our people and our Akua Wākea? ⠀
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‘Ae. ⠀
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Is Mauna Kea sacred because of our pilina to her. Because of the unmeasurable ways she has protected us, fed us, loved us?⠀
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‘Ae.⠀
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Is Mauna Kea sacred because she represents our ea, our sovereignty, our right and ability to advocate for ourselves and our ‘āina?⠀
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‘Ae. ‘Ae. ‘Ae. ‘Ae. ⠀
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Mauna Kea is sacred for all of these reasons and more. But today, this week, this month, this year Mauna Kea is sacred because we gather to protect her. Because we consecrate her in our resistance to American force, occupation and colonialism. Mauna Kea is sacred because we show up. She is sacred because we band together as our kūpuna always have. Mauna Kea is sacred because my kūpuna stood with yours and today I stand with you. And because of the many ways we continue to stand, continue to Kupa’a I ke aloha ‘Āina... we make Mauna Kea sacred again and she us. ⠀
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I am proud to stand against the thirty meter telescope because Manono stood against the fall of the ‘Aikapu, because Pi’ilani stood against the provisional government, because Daisy Keali’iai’awa’awa stood against the annexation, because aunty Loretta Ritte stood against the bombing of Kaho’olawe, because Haunani-Kay Trask stood and said, “we are not American”. ⠀
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I stand because our children will live in this ‘āina, will be fed by this aina, will aloha this ‘āina and will stand, like we did. I stand because I am privileged enough to know that standing is what Hawaiians do. Standing is what Hawaiians do. Standing is what Hawaiians do. Until the very last aloha aina. ⠀
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See you on the mauna. ⠀